Suicide

Tracy Shafran April 24, 2008

Suicide Prevention

Suicide is the taking of ones life or attempting to do so. Why would someone want to die you ask? Sometimes people want to die because they are suffering from a chemical imbalance that causes depression or another mental disorder, and brings them a great deal of pain. Teens and adolescents are under greater stress factors due to school and the desire to be accepted into college. Some young people also may be overwhelmed by problems, such as drug or alcohol abuse or family violence. Every year there is an approximate average of about 30,000 deaths caused by suicide. The graph below shows some of the statistics of the national suicide rate in 2005.

U.S. Suicide Statistics (2005)

Breakdown by Gender / Ethnicity /

Young, Old Age Groups

All Ages Combined Elderly (65+ yrs) Youth (15-24 yrs)

Group Number of Suicides Rate of Suicide Elderly Suicides Elderly Suicide Rate Youth Suicides Youth Suicide Rate

Nation 32,637 11.0 5,404 14.7 4,212 10.0

Men 25,907 17.7 4,550 29.5 3,498 16.2

Women 6,730 4.5 854 4.0 714 3.5

Whites 29,527 12.3 5,410 15.9 3,540 10.7

Nonwhites 3,110 5.5 264 5.8 672 7.4

Blacks 1,992 5.1 152 4.8 437 6.7

White Men 23,478 19.7 4,361 32.1 2,945 17.3

White Women 6,049 5.0 779 4.2 595 3.7

Nonwhite Men 2,429 9.0 189 10.5 553 12.0

Nonwhite Women 681 2.3 75 2.7 119 2.7

Black Men 1,621 8.7 124 10.3 382 11.5

Black Women 371 1.8 28 1.4 55 1.7

Suicide, though on the rise, is one of the few “accidental” deaths that is actually preventable. Unfortunately, many of those who are suicidal are misdiagnosed as being deeply depressed. Being depressed and wanting to kill oneself are two entirely different levels of depression and mental illness. Stigma associated with mental illnesses can also prevent people from getting help. Your willingness to talk about depression and suicide with a friend, family member, or co-worker can be the first step in getting help and preventing suicide.

One method of prevention is to begin a dialogue by asking questions. Suicidal thoughts are common with depressive illnesses and your willingness to talk about it in a non-judgmental, non-confrontational way can be the first step in helping the ill seek professional help. The following are a few important questions that should be asked:

• "Do you ever feel so badly that you think about suicide?"

• "Do you have a plan to commit suicide or take your life?"

• "Have you thought about when you would do it (today, tomorrow, next week)?"

• "Have you thought about what method you would use?"

Asking these questions will help you to determine if your friend or family members is in immediate danger, and get help if needed. A suicidal person should see a doctor or mental health professional immediately. Calling 911 or going to a hospital emergency room are also good options to prevent a tragic suicide attempt or death.

A second method of prevention is to never keep a plan for suicide a secret. Often